We welcome everyone here today. We hope that you feel comforted in our fellowship and inspired by our worship, and that you will leave here refreshed and inspired in your personal life. We are pleased to have the Rev. Dr. Jim Cooper leading us in worship this morning. Welcome back from the sunny south, Jim. If you are visiting us for the first time today, please sign our guest book in the front entrance vestibule. If you are looking for a church home, we invite you to return and consider worshipping with us on a regular basis.

Today’s Newsletter Inserts

Please take a few minutes to read the inserts that are inside this newsletter:

1. Our Financial Report as of the end of April

2. One of the initial “blogs” from the 2013 Youth in Mission Trip to Malawi, led by the Rev. Dana Benson. You can find all continuing blog entries associated with this trip through our National Church website found at www.presbyterian.ca

3. A report on the Presbyterian Church’s financial support to the disastrous flooding that has taken place in Pakistan.

Prayer Partnership Please remember to include the following in your daily prayers throughout the coming week. SUNDAY, MAY 12 - Christian Family SundayThank God for the special nature of family ties. Pray that families will reflect Christian love, compassion and forgiveness. MONDAY, MAY 13 Pray for the participants of “Crossing Cultures Together IX” as they meet at Knox College, Toronto, to share stories about the gifts and challenges of being multi-cultural communities. TUESDAY, MAY 14 Pray for the congregation at St. Andrew’s Church, St. John’s, NL, and their minister and moderator elect, the Rev. Dr. David Sutherland, as they prepare for his moderatorial year. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 Pray for the Rev. James Byung Yun Ko and the people at Grace Korean, a new church development in Winnipeg, MB, as they reach out to first and second generations of Korean Christians. THURSDAY, MAY 16 Pray for the Rev. Mark Bourgon who serves as the convener of the Ministry Committee of the Presbytery of Seaway-Glengarry. FRIDAY, MAY 17 Pray for Michelle Verwey as she completes her one-year volunteer assignment with the M.I.B.E. Graduate School for Nurses in Indore, India. SATURDAY, MAY 18 Pray for Abraham Berinyuu of Ghana as he prepares to travel to Canada to be recognized as the 2013 recipient of the E.H. Johnson Award. Stewardship Moment

John answered, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.”John 3:27 NRSV Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR Plan)Several folks have shown interest in using a pre-authorized payment plan for their church offerings to save having to write a cheque each week. If you would like to participate in such a plan, please speak to Russ McGillivray. He has the application forms. Mission Moments Serving God through music For students at the Theological Seminary of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Cluj, Romania, singing in a choir is a fun and creative way to learn the English language. It is also a fun and creative way to share the gospel message. Gifts to Presbyterians Sharing support Brian Johnston, an English and music teacher at the seminary. Choir member Józsa Bertalan shares “The feelings and spiritual nourishment that we gain through singing cannot be expressed in words. When we perform in congregations and communities, I believe that we have reached our goal when the song we sing is not just a simple composition, but a lifestyle and way of thinking which is revealed on our faces. When people see this, then we can say that our mission through song has been fulfilled.”Evangel Hall Last Sunday we made one of our annual trips to Evangel Hall and this time we served a record number of meals to their guests and clients. We got off to a bad start due to road closures in Toronto but once there, we served 134 meals, plus the meals to our volunteers and staff of Evangel Hall, showing a total of 150 meals. The meal was then followed by worship and prayer. The folks of Claude were very supportive both in attendance and meal preparation and we thank you all so very much. This experience again reminds us that we need to be actively aware and to participate in outreach programs. The need through food and fellowship to marginalized people is continuous and we pray that the people of Claude will continue on into the future with this type of missionary. Food Share BoxIn addition to our mission to Evangel Hall, we continue to collect non-perishable food for our Food Share Box. The food we collect goes directly to food banks in our local area. All we ask you to do is bring at least one item of food each week. Please help us fill our box each Sunday. 2013 Youth in Mission trip – Malawi Touch down in Malawi

We finally got our internet working today and so finally I am able to share with you our first post of the trip. The group landed safely, with no problems and all their luggage intact, to Chileka Airport in Blantyre yesterday afternoon. After 3 flights in 3 days, the majority of us were exhausted. After settling down at Annie’s Lodge in Blantyre we had the opportunity to visit the General Secretary of the Blantyre Synod, who shared with the group the history of the Synod and the CCAP (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian) and some of his experiences from being the General Secretary, which is a 4 year appointment in Malawi. After a visit with the General Secretary, we were given a tour of the Historic Mission Grounds in Blantyre and then headed back to Annie’s Lodge for dinner and some much needed rest. Dinner was a quiet time as everyone was extremely tired so once food was consumed everyone fell fast asleep. On Sunday, the group got to experience to not only worship at one service in Malawi, but got the worship at two different services. The group started out at the 7am contemporary service held at the multi purpose hall at St. Michael’s All-Angels, where the Rev. Dana Benson was invited to preach. While that service was going on Rev. Glenn Inglis and I had the privilege of conducting the 8:30am traditional communion service at St. Michael’s All-Angels in their cathedral. I was invited to preach and Glenn conducted Holy Communion. Its not every week that I get to preach, as I am not an ordained minister, so it was even more rare for me to be invited to preach in Malawi at the First CCAP church built in Malawi. It was an experience like no other. The sanctuary was overflowing with people and the service lasted for nearly three hours, although it didn’t feel like that, and trust me I didn’t preach that long either lol. The afternoon was spent relaxing, getting an orientation from PCC Mission Staff and the Blantyre Synod and then in the evening the group gathered to sort through the supplies brought for our partner requests and enjoy a meal and some discussion and reflection on the days events. We have all now headed off for bed, except for me, who is still up blogging. Tomorrow we leave for four days in Mulanje where we will be interacting with local youth and various partners such as the Apatsa School and the Mulanje Mission Hospital.

Matt Foxall, PCC Mission Trip and Youth in Mission Coordinator

PWS&D Leads $1 Million Flood Response in Pakistan

Families in Sindh Province, Pakistan have been affected by flooding for the last several years. Having experienced catastrophic flooding in 2010, 2011 and 2012, people are in desperate need of food and other basic supplies to recover and reclaim their livelihoods. As of February 2013, 60% of the agricultural land in Sindh was still inundated with floodwater. Families, three-quarters of whom rely on agriculture, have lost food, seeds, crops, vegetables and livestock. Vital infrastructure, such as irrigation canals, health facilities, schools, roads, shops and markets, are also badly damaged. Families have lost their sources of income and vital services are unavailable. All of this is making it difficult to cope and is forcing farmers and families further into poverty.

PWS&D Responds

Starting in April 2013, PWS&D – in partnership with Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS-P/A) and Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) – is supporting 4,000 farm families (over 20,000 people) with food rations, rice seed, and training in crop management and disaster plan management through this $1.25 million project. Each participating household will receive a monthly ration from April until the next rice harvest arrives in September, as well as enough rice seed to cultivate two acres of land. By that time, the families will have harvested their rice crop and will be able to meet their own food needs. While PWS&D is leading this response, the scope of the project has been made possible by significant ecumenical support from World Renew, Canadian Baptist Ministries, The United Church of Canada and World Relief Canada. Without the generous support of Presbyterians none of this would be possible. By making a donation to PWS&D you will ensure that families who are dealing with devastating flooding will have the food they need until the next harvest arrives. Make a donation through your church, mail a cheque to the PWS&D office, donate online or call 1-800-619-7301 ext. 201. Departing Thought Let us lead a life worthy of our calling as children of God and followers of Jesus, clothed with humility and gentleness, speaking with patience, bearing with one another in love, and making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. May the peace of Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit go with us ...